Thanks for teaching this. After playing it a few times AND then adding the scenarios for Golden era and Ghost Stories (especially the imperial palace) this game is in the running for game of the year for us!
I'm glad you posted this. I was starting to get worried about the gameplay. I think this would be a game my family would play it's simple enough but enough stuff going on that me and my brother will not get bored shutting each other down.
at 19:15, at the end of a decoration action, Jon refreshes the tile stack "because we took a decoration action." Is this from an old version of the rules? I don't see that in the rulebook now
Excellent breakdown. Helps a lot! One question I have about the special garden tiles. Let’s say there’s a simian tang rock temple tile on the board. I place a water tile edge next to it. So question is. Do I get a coin because I’m touching a special tile? Or does it have to be a rock tile? The examples in the instructions only talk about matching tiles hugging next to it.
Thank you for doing a full play. I’m very excited to get my hands on this! BTW wouldn’t want my miniatures to be any bigger. They should be proportional to the game. Perfect!
Hi John, great video! I played the game on Tabletopia. At endgame scoring on Tabletopia they have scoring based on the matching pairs of large and small scenery tokens, 2 coins for each matching pair. Your video shows you scoring 1 coin for each of the smallest majority of scenery tokens. The most recent pdf does not mention either of these end game scoring options. Im confused or missing something. Can you help?
Huh, well I did film this with a prototype so it's quite likely they've changed a rule slightly since this was made. I honestly have forgotten how the rules for this game plays at this point, I think the best way to get clarity is at the Boardgamegeek forums.
That was so comprehensive I just ordered the game. BRAVO LAD! One question I have if only one of those wooden squares lets say the green one reaches the last slot which is a 6. will you get the 6 coins at the end or do all three blocks need to bump to the end of the track to gain any coins?
Glad you enjoyed this, I hope you like the game when it arrives :) You score those coins as soon as the token reaches that spot, not during endgame scoring.
The retail version is different from this early version, so do you think you could redo this video, or update the video somehow? Also, what happens if the decoration deck is exhausted? Reshuffle or no more decoration or end game?
This is the first I've heard about differences between this version and the final one. I'll reach out to the publisher about it. Unfortunately it's been too long since I made this video to remember the answers to your other questions.
Just great! I loved your playthrough, even if you made some mistakes but your comments correct them. I pledged fot this game and I can't wait to play it ....
Why is 11:19 allowed? He doesn’t match up walking paths. Sorry, I’m watching this vid trying to understand the game and if I want to back the Kickstarter or not.
The tile with green walls is a special tile, there is one of these for each of the three terrain types. Since it is a wall on every side it can match up with anything (walls match to any edge), but in particular if you match a green region edge to this green wall then you gain a coin as a bonus.
Tom Matty I agree. This video is confirming my decision to not back it. My other Thundergryph game are amazing value and this one is bloated for tiny minis the size of sorry pawns
I think the size of the minis work well with the game, they look like normal size humans in a large garden. They are still very good looking minis. As for the cards, there are large ones for the characters and the small ones work well because you have to accumulate them face up in front of you, large cards would make that unmanageable.
Mini Euro cards are very standard in games and expected at times. I don’t mind them. I don’t mind the minis either. I don’t think the emphasis should be on the minis, how many, how good or anything else. For me it’s the gameplay and mechanics.
@@JonGetsGames iam sorry i was generalizing. i dont know which in particular but you could def consider lots of jobs where people need to talk like that. i dont want to be rude, iam actually amazed of how u talk.
@@xXN0cturnXx Haha, you aren't being rude it's ok! I've been told I have a "voice for radio" for much of my life, and I guess by making youtube videos I am satisfying that to a certain degree :)
You sound like one of Alvin's chipmunks. I had trouble concentrating on what you are saying. Also please consider slowing your speech while producing a more focused play through. Running through all the options available to a player in a turn may be intended to highlight the game mechanics but as a viewer your presentation seemed to run counter to one of the game's highlighted selling points - quick turns that aren't confusing. It seemed like there was a lot of figuring out to do for you each turn. Maybe that's an artifact of playing through the three different players.
Sounds like you may just dislike my voice, I do try to talk at a good pace and this is much slower than my normal talking speed when not recording. I feel that it’s important to talk through each of “my” turns so that people see what kind of decisions they will be making while playing. If I didn’t do this then I feel the play will be much less engaging, but I understand that this style won’t be for everyone.
@@JonGetsGames I love that you Talk through every decision. It helps solidify the rules as I watch it. And I find myself guessing what the steps are to make sure I get it. :)
Not a great game for those aging gamers with poor eyesight. 😄 Reminds me a lot of Tokaido, not because of the theme but because the luck of drawing the cards can really swing the game. In Tokaido the set collection bonus from buying gifs is huge and the difference between drawing three different types of gift that all cost 1 coin or three gifts that are the same and/or cost 3 is massive. The luck of drawing the decorations in this game seems just as swingy. I still really like the gameplay though, the only reason I’m not backing it is because my brother is.
It was really helpful but you really need to slow down a bit your speaking because I find myself to always change video speed to 0.75 in order to fully understand and follow your rules :-D
I do try to slow down my speaking, I generally speak much faster with others than I do in my playthroughs. It's a challenge and I hope overtime it's gotten slower on average.
There's nothing wrong with his speed in speech and there's nothing wrong with needing to change playback speed... that option is there for a reason. Meanwhile I watch at 1.25
Just got this game for Christmas and your video is the best I've found in doing a playthrough! Thanks, man!
You make the best playthroughs Jon, Thank you.
I can't wait until next January, I'm backing this project and having now seen a complete play through I'm even more excited about it!
Thanks for teaching this. After playing it a few times AND then adding the scenarios for Golden era and Ghost Stories (especially the imperial palace) this game is in the running for game of the year for us!
I'm glad you posted this. I was starting to get worried about the gameplay. I think this would be a game my family would play it's simple enough but enough stuff going on that me and my brother will not get bored shutting each other down.
@23:00 - There is also a spot for the character to stand on inside of the pavilion.
Oh! You caught it at 30:06!
Thanks for doing this playthrough, neat with the different play strategies. I just got my game yesterday so I am eager to play!
Good job Jon, watched from start to finish, now I feel ready to take on the Garden! ... right after I unbox it that is ;)
This is my kind of board game. It’s so aesthetically pleasing.
I'm impressed how much planning this would have taken thank you
at 19:15, at the end of a decoration action, Jon refreshes the tile stack "because we took a decoration action." Is this from an old version of the rules? I don't see that in the rulebook now
It's certainly possible that a rule has changed since I was working with a prototype.
Nice gameplay. Your comments are really helpful in understanding the rules and basic strategy of this beautiful game.
FINALLY getting my copy tomorrow! Thanks for making a great video so I can hit the ground running with it.
Thanks Jon, Love how you did this playthrough/review. Exactly what I needed to see. Looks like a fun game. Kind of Carcassonne advanced!
This is the best game I've ever seen.
Learnt most of the rules (and some of the easy rule mistakes) as well as an appreciation of the tactical options - very helpful!
Thank you, Jon! Your playthroughs are wonderful!
Not that it made much of a difference, but @ 18:00 - the peonies also has a green bonus, it's just near impossible to see with the card art
Good catch, thanks for pointing that out. I've added a note to the subtitles.
I already backed the game on Kickstarter as it looked like a light and fun game. Excellent video and thanks for taking the time to make it.
Thank you for teaching this. I have been struggling to learn it after I purchased.
Excellent breakdown. Helps a lot! One question I have about the special garden tiles. Let’s say there’s a simian tang rock temple tile on the board. I place a water tile edge next to it. So question is. Do I get a coin because I’m touching a special tile? Or does it have to be a rock tile? The examples in the instructions only talk about matching tiles hugging next to it.
Unfortunately, it's been too long since I played this game to remember the rules enough to answer your question. Sorry about that!
Thank you for doing a full play. I’m very excited to get my hands on this! BTW wouldn’t want my miniatures to be any bigger. They should be proportional to the game. Perfect!
Great play through Jon. Really appreciate it!
Thanx for covering this one Jon :)
Hi John, great video! I played the game on Tabletopia. At endgame scoring on Tabletopia they have scoring based on the matching pairs of large and small scenery tokens, 2 coins for each matching pair. Your video shows you scoring 1 coin for each of the smallest majority of scenery tokens. The most recent pdf does not mention either of these end game scoring options. Im confused or missing something. Can you help?
Huh, well I did film this with a prototype so it's quite likely they've changed a rule slightly since this was made. I honestly have forgotten how the rules for this game plays at this point, I think the best way to get clarity is at the Boardgamegeek forums.
That was so comprehensive I just ordered the game. BRAVO LAD! One question I have if only one of those wooden squares lets say the green one reaches the last slot which is a 6. will you get the 6 coins at the end or do all three blocks need to bump to the end of the track to gain any coins?
Glad you enjoyed this, I hope you like the game when it arrives :) You score those coins as soon as the token reaches that spot, not during endgame scoring.
Another great play thru, always look forward to your videos
Thank you Jon! I decided because of your video to pack that game. Your video was very helpful. :)
Thank you Jon. After your playtrough i decide to back the game
Very useful play through, thanks - think you added up blue player wrong at end, but hardly matters
Fantastic playthrough Jon, thank you so much!!
The retail version is different from this early version, so do you think you could redo this video, or update the video somehow? Also, what happens if the decoration deck is exhausted? Reshuffle or no more decoration or end game?
This is the first I've heard about differences between this version and the final one. I'll reach out to the publisher about it. Unfortunately it's been too long since I made this video to remember the answers to your other questions.
Amazing Playthrough Jon! Now I have enough information to make an informed decision about backing it or not... Just in time ;)
I can't wait for this game..
Just great! I loved your playthrough, even if you made some mistakes but your comments correct them. I pledged fot this game and I can't wait to play it ....
Hi. Is this game considered to be a light medium or hard game to learn?
makes me think of a cross between Lanterns and Tokeido
Thank you for this. Very useful.
Thanks for the play-through. Now I know it's too light for my taste.
Why is 11:19 allowed? He doesn’t match up walking paths.
Sorry, I’m watching this vid trying to understand the game and if I want to back the Kickstarter or not.
The tile with green walls is a special tile, there is one of these for each of the three terrain types. Since it is a wall on every side it can match up with anything (walls match to any edge), but in particular if you match a green region edge to this green wall then you gain a coin as a bonus.
Nice video! :-)
minis and cards seem very small. Disappointed. From the KS I thought they were larger.
Tom Matty I agree. This video is confirming my decision to not back it. My other Thundergryph game are amazing value and this one is bloated for tiny minis the size of sorry pawns
I think the size of the minis work well with the game, they look like normal size humans in a large garden. They are still very good looking minis. As for the cards, there are large ones for the characters and the small ones work well because you have to accumulate them face up in front of you, large cards would make that unmanageable.
Mini Euro cards are very standard in games and expected at times. I don’t mind them. I don’t mind the minis either. I don’t think the emphasis should be on the minis, how many, how good or anything else. For me it’s the gameplay and mechanics.
W8 are you the guy i always hear when i use text to speech apps? ur voice sounds 100 % like that xD.
Nope, though you are not the first person to ask me about this. What app are you talking about? I'm curious to hear it for myself :P
@@JonGetsGames iam sorry i was generalizing. i dont know which in particular but you could def consider lots of jobs where people need to talk like that. i dont want to be rude, iam actually amazed of how u talk.
@@xXN0cturnXx Haha, you aren't being rude it's ok! I've been told I have a "voice for radio" for much of my life, and I guess by making youtube videos I am satisfying that to a certain degree :)
Did you speed this up in post production? It's very distracting.
David's Perspective I don’t speed anything up while I am talking, no.
You sound like one of Alvin's chipmunks. I had trouble concentrating on what you are saying. Also please consider slowing your speech while producing a more focused play through. Running through all the options available to a player in a turn may be intended to highlight the game mechanics but as a viewer your presentation seemed to run counter to one of the game's highlighted selling points - quick turns that aren't confusing. It seemed like there was a lot of figuring out to do for you each turn. Maybe that's an artifact of playing through the three different players.
Sounds like you may just dislike my voice, I do try to talk at a good pace and this is much slower than my normal talking speed when not recording. I feel that it’s important to talk through each of “my” turns so that people see what kind of decisions they will be making while playing. If I didn’t do this then I feel the play will be much less engaging, but I understand that this style won’t be for everyone.
@@davidsperspective323 you can change the playback speed the option is there for a reason
@@JonGetsGames I love that you
Talk through every decision. It helps solidify the rules as I watch it. And I find myself guessing what the steps are to make sure I get it. :)
Not a great game for those aging gamers with poor eyesight. 😄
Reminds me a lot of Tokaido, not because of the theme but because the luck of drawing the cards can really swing the game.
In Tokaido the set collection bonus from buying gifs is huge and the difference between drawing three different types of gift that all cost 1 coin or three gifts that are the same and/or cost 3 is massive.
The luck of drawing the decorations in this game seems just as swingy.
I still really like the gameplay though, the only reason I’m not backing it is because my brother is.
Drink every time he says "they figure" or similar.
It was really helpful but you really need to slow down a bit your speaking because I find myself to always change video speed to 0.75 in order to fully understand and follow your rules :-D
I do try to slow down my speaking, I generally speak much faster with others than I do in my playthroughs. It's a challenge and I hope overtime it's gotten slower on average.
There's nothing wrong with his speed in speech and there's nothing wrong with needing to change playback speed... that option is there for a reason. Meanwhile I watch at 1.25
Can you put "preview" in the title or something that would indicate it's advertising a Kickstarter?
it says paid sponsorship in the description
Yeah, but to read the description, you've got to click on the video and start watching it.
Brandon Graham it also said paid sponsorship like 10 seconds into the video
So far both of your solutions require someone to watch the video to find out if it is a kickstarter video.
You’re right, those extra seconds really mount up...especially when you could be using that time to save the world!